The Papua New Guinea Rat is described from eastern New Guinea. HMW7 reports stiff spines across its back and belly and records it in moist and secondary forests, grasslands, and streamside vegetation.
Stiff spines occur throughout the dorsal and ventral coat. The back is deep brown with cinnamon-tipped hairs, gray underfur, and black-tipped guard hairs. The underside is white or yellowish and sharply demarcated from the back; the upper surfaces of the feet have white hair.
HMW7 records it in tropical moist forest, secondary forest, grassland, and vegetation along streams and riverbanks in montane forest.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.